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Working With Challenging Parents of Students With Special Needs - Book Cover

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Bestseller!

Working With Challenging Parents of Students With Special Needs

By: Jean Cheng Gorman

Intimidated by an angry parent? Frustrated by a nonsupportive parent? Hands-on, specific solutions are now available to help you!

Most teaching programs do not cover how to handle difficult parents, especially parents of children with special needs. This book fills that gap, focusing both on dealing with specific problems and cultivating strong relationships with parents. The book's contents, grounded in research as well as real-life experiences, include chapters to help you:

Generate alliances--not lawsuits--and examine such concepts as empathy and communication
Deal with parents who are angry, nonparticipatory, or plaintive
Work with groups with unique concerns, such as grandparents and foster parents
Cultivate and maintain good collaborative relationships with parents

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9780761939283
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2004
Page Count: 192
Publication date: March 12, 2004

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Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.

Description

"This practical guide will help avert obstacles and clear the way for a healthy and productive working relationship that will benefit the individuals who are at the center of the enterprise—the children!"
—Lawrence Balter, Professor
New York University

"This book should be used by every teacher. School districts should be providing professional development classes and higher education should be addressing the challenging components of teaching that Gorman addresses."
—Mary Ellen Somers, Teacher
Kingsley Junior High School Normal, IL

Intimidated by an angry parent? Frustrated by a non supportive parent? Hands-on, specific solutions are now available to help you!

Most teaching programs do not cover how to handle difficult parents, especially parents of children with special needs. This book fills that gap, focusing both on dealing with specific problems and cultivating strong relationships with parents. In specific settings such as IEP meetings and transitional plan meetings, you will learn how to understand the parents' perspective while arming yourself with methods to address their concerns and move beyond conflict to true collaboration.

The book's contents, grounded in research as well as real-life experiences, include chapters to help you

Generate alliances—not lawsuits—and examine such concepts as empathy, communication, and risk management
Deal with specific problems, such as parents who are angry, non-participatory, or plaintive
Work with groups with unique concerns, such as grandparents, foster parents, noncustodial parents, and homeless families
Cultivate and maintain good collaborative relationships with parents

The easy-to-use layout first presents research and discusses the reasons behind particular problems, followed by clear main strategies to solving the problems and actions to avoid. A summary and questions at the end of each chapter, as well as the included extensive forms, let you examine your specific professional situation.

Key features

Key topics include: litigation, blame, denial, minority overrepresentation, adaptive technologies, and nonparticipation in IEPs

Author(s)

Jean Cheng Gorman

Jean Cheng Gorman, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist and the author of Emotional Disorders and Learning Disabilities in the Elementary Classroom: Interactions and Interventions (2001, Corwin Press). After teaching in urban and suburban elementary schools, Jean obtained her doctorate in Child and School Psychology at New York University. Her interests in collaborating with parents has included research on Chinese methods of parenting as well as culturally-sensitive parenting programs. Other professional interests include working with children who are medically-fragile and enhancing parent-child relationships in infancy and early childhood.

Jean currently lives with her husband and two children in Northern California.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Dedication

1. Generating Alliances…not Lawsuits

Gaining Cooperation

Developing Alliances

Being Empathic

Communicating Well

Communicating Poorly

Staying Out of Court

Keeping Your Focus

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

2. Dealing with Anger

Entering The Conflict Stage

Understanding Anger

Being Aware of Cultural Differences in Anger

Dealing with The Openly Angry Parent

Dealing with The Parent Who Is Always Angry

Dealing with The Narcissistic Parent

Ensuring Your Safety

Main Principles for Dealing with Anger

Other Strategies for Dealing with Anger

What to Avoid

Dealing with Anger ... Yours

Going Beyond Anger

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

3. Dealing with Denial

Understanding Denial

Discriminating Between Denial and Defensiveness

Dealing with Differences of Opinions

Knowing When Denial is Harmful (and When It Is Not)

Main Principles for Dealing with Denial

Other Strategies for Dealing with Denial

What to Avoid

Going Beyond Denial

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

4. Dealing with Dissatisfaction

Recognizing the Context of Dissatisfaction

Understanding Dissatisfaction

Responding When Parents Reject the Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Coping with the Consequences of Dissatisfaction

Handling Mediation and Due Process Hearings

Main Principles for Dealing with Dissatisfaction

Other Strategies for Dealing with Dissatisfaction

Working with Advocates

What to Avoid

Going Beyond Dissatisfaction

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

5. Dealing with Nonparticipation and Resistance

Sharing Teachers' Views

Discerning Noninvolvement Versus Nonparticipation

Understanding Nonparticipation

Understanding Nonparticipation of Parents of Adolescents

Being Sensitive to Concerns of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Parents

Main Principles for Dealing with Nonparticipation and Resistance

Suggestions for Increasing Parent Participation in Transition Planning

Other Strategies for Dealing with Nonparticipation

Other Strategies for Dealing with Resistance

What to Avoid

Going Beyond Nonparticipation and Resistance

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

6. Dealing with Mistrust

Recognizing The Value of Trust

Understanding Mistrust

Acknowledging Other Reasons for Parental Mistrust

Agreeing on an Individual Transition Plan (ITP)

Preventing Mistrust

Main Principles for Dealing with Mistrust

Other Strategies for Dealing with Mistrust

What to Avoid

Going Beyond Mistrust

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

7. Working with Nontraditional Families

Working with Grandparents

Working with Noncustodial Parents

Working with Foster Parents

Working with Homeless Families

Working with Families Where You Suspect Child Abuse or Neglect

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

8. Cultivating Collaborative Relationships

Resolving Your Reservations

Applying Cultural Considerations

Starting at the Beginning

Maintaining the Relationship

Passing the Torch

Promoting a Family-Friendly School

Being Realistic

Reflecting on Your Teaching

Summary

References

Table 1.1 Effective Communication Skills

Table 1.2 Poor Communication Skills

Table 2.1 Safety Tips for Teachers Meeting with Parents

Resource A. Welcome Letter

Resource B. Communication Log

Resource C. Letter to Parents of Older Elementary Students

Resource D. Letter to Parents of Adolescents

Resource E. Parent Observation Sheet

Resource F. Back-to-School Letter

Resource G. Responsibilities of Team Members

Resource H. Intake Conference Letter

Resource I. Conference Summary Sheet

Resource J. Additional Resources

References

Index

Reviews

This practical guide will help avert obstacles and clear the way for a healthy and productive working relationship that will benefit the individuals who are at the center of the enterprise—the children!

Lawrence Balter, Professor
New York University

This book should be used by every teacher. School districts should be providing professional development classes and higher education should be addressing the challenging components of teaching that Gorman addresses.

Mary Ellen Somers, NBCT
Kingsley Junior High School, Normal, IL

Other Titles in: Administration & Leadership | Collaboration & Team Building | Special Education

Select Format:

Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.